Walnut & Elm Keepsake Box

I’d been wanting to make a box with a raised panel lid, and finally got around to it while enjoying this past week off from work.

When I was finished, there was an unplanned surprise. I noticed a slight gap between the panel and the frame on the inside of the lid, and it seemed like the perfect spot to display a photograph. I printed a photo of my daughter (on the right) and her best friend when they were dressed up for Halloween three years ago. They were both 17 at the time, I believe.

The only finish is BLO (which is growing on me more and more lately) with a coat of paste wax.

Nice box. where do you get your ideas for which woods to use? I have a lot of access to oak, poplar and pine. Sometimes i run across some walnut in the woods. When it comes to using anything other than the oak and pine i am lost, as in not knowing what color/finishes to use. is there a good book one might suggest to help with this? Living and logging in the southeastern U.S. I see a few other species but am not sure if they would be suitable for keepsake boxes, or what they would be useful for. Anyway i really like that box!

My wood choices come purely from experimenting. You can order small quantities of many different types of wood on eBay. Once you have a milled piece of raw wood in your hands, you can just wipe some mineral spirits on it to get a pretty good idea of what it will look like with a clear finish. From there, it’s just a question of deciding what you think looks good together. If you stick to woods that are very different in color, you really can’t go wrong. Combinations of woods that are similar in color can also look good, but sometimes they clash. It’s really just a personal taste thing, though.

Great Job Charlie, your daughter will love it. Is that oak and walnut? That’s a combination I use quite often when I’m going for a nice contrast. I always love your inlay work it adds so much to the appearance. Bruce

I just finished two adirondack chairs made out of Meranti. I don’t know how to finish them so they will stand up to the weather. No matter what you put on peels off badly. I was thinking of just using BLO, do you think that would work? Has anyone tried just oil for outside use?

Nice looking box Charlie, and a lovely daughter, hey I have one of those. They’re a pain though, they can make you do any thing. Or give them anything, I never learned to say no to her. LOL Peace, and Happy New Year.

-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -